“Caroline: Little House Revisited” by Sarah Miller Book Review

Caroline Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller book review

I didn’t discover the “Little House” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder until I was an adult. Somehow I managed to be totally addicted to the television show, and never realized it was a book series first. I suppose you find the right things to read at the right times in your life.

I recently finished reading Caroline Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller. Miller takes the original Little House series, and uses it as a basis for telling the story from a mothers (Caroline’s) eyes.

I did enjoy “Caroline” however it did take me awhile to get through. The original books were the type of books that sucked me in, and I didn’t stop reading until I was finished. This book didn’t do that for me, but like I said it was still alright.

Miller definitely has a much different writing style than Wilder, but you also have to remember the story isn’t being told from a child’s prospective. I would say the main difference between the original Little House series, and Caroline is the historical accuracy of the Ingall’s journey.

While some of Laura Ingall Wilder’s fictional portions stuck in Caroline to create simplicity, Miller did change a few details to match the history book rather than tell Wilder’s story verbatim from Caroline’s perspective. As for those I’ll let you figure it out!

Exploring the world one book at a time,

Book Reflections

“The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Anderson

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson Review –

Happy New Year to you! I hope the Holiday season has treated you well!

I finally got around to reading (audiobook) The Snow Queen. Most people are familiar with Disney’s loosely based film adaption of this book Frozen.

Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen is much darker than Disney’s film adaption. The main characters are Gerda and Kai – they’re the best of friends. And, of course there is a Looking Glass. (Seriously, what was going on in the 1800’s that a bunch “fairy tales” – modern day fantasy novels had a Looking Glass?)

His words paint a marvelous picture in your imagination. As you’re reading you can physically picture the Northern Lights, the roses – you could almost smell and touch through the pages, and the shards of glass may cause you a frozen heart.

In the 1800’s it is quite often we find Christian undertones in tales, and I definitely felt like that was the case. Gerda’s perseverance, and goodness stood true. But, they could be lead astray – Kai and the shard of glass, Gerda and the witches curse.

The supporting characters are fun and interesting! But, who could forget the robber girl! Goodness she was something else.

I can’t believe I had never read this before. I highly recommend it m, and I can’t wait to read it to my children!

Let me know your thoughts on The Snow Queen, and other fairy tales in the comments.

Exploring the world one book at a time,

Book Reflections

“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am ashamed to say I had not previously read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. I had went to many plays, and watched television programs, but had never picked up the book. As a goal for myself I wanted to read it this year around Christmas time, and I finally did.

Dickens brilliantly depicts the scene of two different social classes in the Victorian Era. I believe he wrote this way, because he was a humanitarian of sorts. He saw the difference in the way people were living in this period of time. He was truly fighting for social justices through his work of fiction.

I’m sure if you’ve growing up you’ve heard of Dickens, read bis work, or said something from one of his works. He’s an author that has been ingrained into our society.

I’m sure you’ve heard someone say in your lifetime: “Bah Humbug”, or “Don’t be a Scrooge.” I have been accused of being a Scrooge at Christmas a time or two. Not because I don’t want to give people things. I’d give everyone the world if I could, but because Christmas usually makes me sad to see the amount of people that turn into a “give me” society. I’ve always found it better to give than to receive, and that is something Dickens really touches on in “A Christmas Carol.”

He paints a picture of Victorian London where a well off lawyer (Scrooge) lives. Then on the other end of that spectrum are the people living in poverty.

In the beginning of the story Scrooge is rotten old fellow who couldn’t care less about the poor and their well being. Dickens That is until Dickens introduces the ghost of his belated business partner.

From then a journey takes place throughout the hours of Christmas Eve night with the ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After his journey at last we find Scrooge has his “redemption.”

This is a must read at Christmas time! I can’t believe I hadn’t picked it up before hand. Thank you Mr. Dickens for a tale to last a lifetime!

“Favorite Quote from book – “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” – Charles Dickens

Fun facts –

• “A Christmas Carol” has never been out of print.

• Dickens only took about 6 weeks to write it.

• The phrase “Merry Christmas” was only popularized after the publication of “A Christmas Carol”

Exploring the world one book at a time,

Merry Christmas!

Book Reflections

“Alice: Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There” – Lewis Carroll

This is the second novel in Alice’s Adventures written by Lewis Carroll. I had neither read this novel or the precious before this month. My reasoning behind this madness I knew they were one of those love it or hate it books. If you follow my post you will have seen I absolutely loved Carroll’s first installment of Alice’s Adventures. While I still enjoyed “Through the Looking Glass”, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” would have to be my favorite of the two.

In “Through the Looking Glass” Alice is a bit older, but still quite a curious little girl. She plunges Through the “Looking Glass” where things are upside down, and backwards.

Nursery rhymes come to life, there is a walrus, and of course the Jabberwocky. Carroll seriously writes in a world of his own. I don’t think I’ve ever read someone’s work where if I was to look out it without a title I would know it was theirs.

Favorite Quote from “Through the Looking Glass” –

Let me know your thoughts on Carroll, and “Through the Looking Glass”

Exploring the world one book at a time,

– Book Reflections

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” – Lewis Carroll

Hello everyone,

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend full of fun, relaxation, and of course reading. Let me start off my review of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by saying I had never previously read it.

Yes, I know it’s absurd I went my entire life not reading one of the most popular books of all time. My reasoning behind this is – I knew it was one of those love it or hate it books. I really wanted to love it, and let me just say I LOVED it! Why did I wait my whole life to enjoy it?

The imagination of Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) had to have been phenomenal in order to write Alice’s adventures. Alice a curious little girl finds herself tumbling down a rabbit hole. Then all the wonder of Wonderland appears.

Carroll writes in such an immersive way it feels as if you’ve fell down the rabbit hole into Wonderland with Alice.

You’ll have adventures with a rabbit, a jabberwocky, cards, chess pieces and so much more. I don’t know what more I could say other than it’s a wondrous, nonsensical adventure I highly recommend taking!

Let me know what you thought of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” in the comments!

Exploring the world one book at a time,

– Book Reflections